I’ve created this DIY to provide instructions only for door panel removal & installation for the following reason:

The DIYs for interior door panel removal seem to be embedded in other harder-to-find, non-door-panel specific threads. (For example, there’s a pretty good one in a thread about Window Motor Replacement.) Not everyone is trying to replace a motor or a specific piece – sometimes people just want to know how to take the panel off for their own specific purpose.

Terminology used in this DIY:
“Grip handle” or “Grip” – The long handle which you grab to pull the door closed.
“Latch handle” – The movable handle which you pull to unlatch & open the door.
“Latch handle backing” or “Catch” – The cup behind the latch handle, in which you insert your fingers to pull it open.
“Bushings” – the plastic hat-shaped pieces through which (5) of the door screws are installed.
“Caps” – the screw head covers for the (3) screws along back edge of door.

(Note, my tiny screwdriver has duct tape on the tip to protect the car's hardware)

Special Note for screw removals:
I find it’s often easy to lose track of screws, or remember which screw goes where. I recommend using your pen & paper to draw a sketch of the door and handle area, showing the screw locations. Then, when you remove each screw, pierce the paper with the screw near the sketched location. Here is mine, to show you what I mean:

6) Remove (2) screws under grip handle (magnetic tip will help pull these out once loose)

7) Remove window switch plate by prying up around the edges with flathead screwdriver. (Held in with plastic and metal tabs, and will pop out once loose.) Disconnect window switch wire plug (and mirror wire plug, if driver’s side).

8 ) Remove tweeter triangle by simply pulling it off. (Held on by two fixed plastic pegs at the top and forward corners.) Disconnect tweeter wire plug.

9) Once all the screws have been removed, the door panel is now held on by only five plastic pegs along the bottom edge. Looking along the bottom edge, you will see a slight opening between the panel and the door:

Inside this opening, you’ll see two bolt heads, and somewhere in between a light colored sliver – this is the edge of a plastic peg.

Using the upholstery removal tool, center the teeth around this peg and pry towards the panel. This will properly pop out the peg without breaking it. (If you don't have the upholstery tool, you can probably use the flathead screwdriver or pulling with your fingers -- all at your own risk! I recommend the proper tool.)

If you’re lucky, the adjacent pegs will pop out too … if not, now you’ve got enough opening to use the upholstery removal too to pry them too. The pegs will stay attached to the panel side.

10) Remove the panel by pulling the bottom edge away from the door and lifting the whole panel up. Disconnect wire plug for light (and for trunk release if drivers side).

Note the locations of the (5) plastic pegs.

11) You may have plastic sheeting stuck to the door with some black adhesive. If you need to access the area under the plastic, pull back the plastic with quick hard yanks. Do not pull it slowly or try to peel it, this will only tear the adhesive or the plastic and make it messy. Quick yanks will pull the whole adhesive strip up. It will remain tacky enough to re-seat later.

I think this didn't exist on its own because, for the most part, removing the panel is a relatively simple task. That and most people removing it were removing it for a specific reason covered in a DIY. This, nonetheless, is a very good addition to the DIY section.

Hey Andy great job, but can you do a DIY Turbo install LOL, Thanks
-Pedro

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I think this didn't exist on its own because, for the most part, removing the panel is a relatively simple task. That and most people removing it were removing it for a specific reason covered in a DIY. This, nonetheless, is a very good addition to the DIY section.

I love the funny little drawing for the screw locations... lol

I often hear horror stories about removing door panels (not necessarily on NT, just for cars in general), and so I'm certain very few would want to dive into it without knowing what's in store for them. It's about removing guesswork from the equation. It's about being prepared!

In fact, just yesterday I removed a door panel on my wife's Grand Am to replace the window motor ... and I was so thankful I found a DIY for it! No guessing, no having to figure out what I'm doing wrong, no breaking anything because of something I didn't know.

This is why newbies ask, for example, how to remove the grip handle! There's no simpler task ... but rather than try it blindly and risk breaking it, people seek out the info first. (I'll admit it, I looked for a DIY for that too when I first swapped those out!) Cars and car parts are getting so expensive these days, I completely understand the hesitation!

Thanks for the props though. (I guess it helps that writing technical operating procedures is part of my day job.)

If you (and Pedro) want me to do some DIYs for more difficult tasks .... I'd be happy to if you provided me with the hardware! lol

Thanks heaps for the post! do you know how easy/hard it is to remove the panel inside the door panel where your arm goes just before the door handle? I have seen a lot of people have it re-trimmed blue and white.

ok, i am a newbie to this site, so let me know if i need to post a certain way.

but anyway, i need to take the door panel off and see what is broken inside. outside door handle does not pull on anything..

but i have been trying to get the screw cap coverings off and they dont want to come off. I have already trying hard enough with a tiny screw drive that it is leaving impressions in the door. Please advise.

Also, if you have a pic close up of what the back of these caps look like, maybe that would give me some insight

ok, i am a newbie to this site, so let me know if i need to post a certain way.

but anyway, i need to take the door panel off and see what is broken inside. outside door handle does not pull on anything..

but i have been trying to get the screw cap coverings off and they dont want to come off. I have already trying hard enough with a tiny screw drive that it is leaving impressions in the door. Please advise.

Also, if you have a pic close up of what the back of these caps look like, maybe that would give me some insight

They look just like this:

I got them out no problem with a little flat head... You might have to dig in and twist, then dig in some more, but I assure you they come out easy.

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That's just it, i have dug in, and its basically mishaping it, and the area around it. I have used a small screw driver just as Stimpy2301 said to use. They don't look like those (see the images that Stimpy2301 put in there. Did you take them off the tiburon?

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